Galvo vs gantry
Two laser machine architectures with totally different strengths. Knowing the difference avoids buying the wrong machine.
Most laser machines move the laser over the work. There are two fundamentally different ways to do that: gantry (mechanically move the head) and galvo (deflect the beam with mirrors). Each has strengths and weaknesses; neither is "better" overall.
Gantry
A motorized X/Y carriage moves the laser head over the bed. Belts, rails, motors.
Strengths:
- Work area can be large (limited mostly by frame size and material).
- Cuts through material, high power can be sustained at slow speeds.
- Familiar mechanics. Easy to maintain.
Weaknesses:
- Slow compared to galvo. Top speeds limited by acceleration and motor torque.
- The carriage carries the laser around, so its kinetic mass limits how fast you can change direction.
- Mechanical wear over time. Belts stretch, rails need cleaning.
Most diode lasers and most small CO2 cutters are gantry machines.
Galvo
The laser beam reflects off two small mirrors mounted on fast-rotating galvanometers. Rotating the mirrors steers the beam across the work. The "head" is stationary, only the mirrors move.
Strengths:
- Very fast. Galvo lasers can engrave at 5000+ mm/s.
- No mechanical mass to accelerate. Direction changes are nearly instantaneous.
- Excellent for marking and shallow engraving on metal, plastic, and similar.
Weaknesses:
- Small work area (typically 100 × 100 mm to 300 × 300 mm).
- Cannot reach all parts of a large object, limited by the lens's working volume.
- More expensive per unit area than gantry.
- Cannot deeply cut material the way a gantry CO2 can.
Most fiber lasers are galvo. Some CO2 galvo systems exist as well.
What Beam Bench supports today
The public beta is focused on GRBL gantry machines over USB serial. This page is here because laser buyers and makers often compare gantry and galvo machines before choosing hardware.
If you have a galvo machine, do not assume Beam Bench can drive it yet. Check Supported machines before buying hardware or planning production work around Beam Bench.
When to use which
Pick a machine type based on what you make, not on what is hyped:
| Use case | Pick |
|---|---|
| Cutting parts from wood, acrylic, leather, paper | Gantry (CO2 or diode). |
| Engraving photos on flat material | Either, with appropriate power and speed. |
| Marking metal jewelry, dog tags, knives | Galvo fiber. |
| Marking many small items quickly (production) | Galvo. |
| Large-format engraving (banners, signs) | Gantry. |
| Etching coated metals | Galvo. |
| Tumbler / mug engraving | Gantry with rotary, or galvo with cylinder correction. |
If you do not know yet, gantry is the more general-purpose first choice.